October 2005 BOR meeting

School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 1 of 12
School of Mines News Report
October 2005 BOR Meeting
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Halter and Heinrichsen win TEA award..................................................................2
Welcome Week Introduces Students to A New Year..............................................2
School of Mines FY 2005 R&D Funding Nearly $13 Million ................................3
Take A Journey Through Space...............................................................................4
M-Week Begins Sept. 11 .........................................................................................5
M-Week Parade Scheduled For Sept. 17 .................................................................6
School of Mines Crowns 2005 Homecoming King and Queen...............................6
Campuses Community Prevention Coalition receives grant funding ......................7
August R&D Funding Near $1 Million ...................................................................8
The Global AIDS Pandemic Forum to be Presented ...............................................8
Microsoft to Present on School of Mines Campus ..................................................9
Employers Recruit School of Mines Students During Career Fair..........................9
School of Mines Student Receives Top Honors ....................................................10
Golden West Establishes Scholarship....................................................................11
School of Mines Professor Recognized .................................................................12
School of Mines Researchers Serving as
Computational Mechanics Lab Co-Directors ........................................................11
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 2 of 12
Halter and Henrichsen Win TEA Award
The Career Service Council at the School of Mines has given its Traditions of Excellence
Award for June and July 2005, respectively, to Karen Henrichsen and Micheal Halter.
Henrichsen has been employed at the School of Mines since 1981, and Halter since 2001.
Both are buyers for the bookstore.
The Career Service Council gives the award to someone who has performed their
assigned duties at a high level or above and beyond expectations, who has taken the
initiative to promote the concept of successful job completion and has promoted a
positive working relationship with students, faculty and staff.
Henrichsen and Halter were nominated jointly and were selected for this award based on
statements included in their nomination, “A true dynamic duo – how can you leave the
Bookstore frowning after dealing with these two? Always smiling, always helpful,
always able to either find what you need or get it for you somehow!” Also cited were
their supportive and encouraging efforts for the benefit of students, faculty, and
employees. “Great to deal with – a real bright spot in your day.”
#30#
Welcome Week Introduces Students To A New Year
Beginning a college career is a major change for high school graduates who must adjust
to new friends, new classes and new surroundings. Those same challenges face transfer
and non-traditional students.
The School of Mines uses the annual Welcome Week to help students transition
successfully to life at the university. During the week, students meet each other, visit
fraternity and sorority houses, memorize the school song and learn secrets to college
success.
Tech’s Welcome Week begins Sunday, Aug. 28, and continues through Friday, Sept. 2.
The highlights include:
Sunday, Aug. 28
6:30 p.m.: Students compete for prizes donated by local businesses during Prize-A-Palooza,
an ice-breaker activity.
8 p.m.: During “Happy Hour,” speaker Bernie McGrenahan draws on personal
experience to teach students about alcohol abuse in the Surbeck Center Ballroom.
Monday, Aug. 29
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Students get to know Rapid City by visiting parks, tourist attractions
and businesses.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 3 of 12
6:30 p.m.: “The Ultimate Road Trip” is an opportunity for students to learn about the
importance of getting involved on campus and ways to do so.
8:00 p.m.: Travelin’ Max uses music, conga lines and giveaways to teach School of
Mines traditions, including the school song, to incoming freshmen. Also during the show,
freshmen receive their green beanies. Tradition holds that the frosh, as they are known,
will wear the beanies until halftime of the M-Week football game September 25.
Tuesday, Aug. 30
5 p.m.: President’s Picnic, Quad
7 p.m.: New and returning students learn how to handle common college life situations
during Student Life Skits, performed by staff, faculty and students in the King Center.
Friday, Sept. 2
8 p.m.: Students attend the Welcome Back Dance, the first big party of the year held in
the Quad.
#30#
South Dakota Tech FY 2005 R&D Funding
Nearly $13 Million
School of Mines researchers and professors received more than $12.7 million in research
and development funding during the 2005 fiscal year that ended in June.
The awards are funding research in departments across campus. Some research is basic,
and is designed to create new knowledge or to add to the literature on a given topic. Other
research is applied, and is meant to produce real-world products. South Dakota Tech has
placed an emphasis on applied research to benefit the state, region and nation.
The School of Mines, an engineering and science university in Rapid City, is home to
several research institutions and centers, and plans are underway to expand the number of
graduate degrees and to enhance the technology-transfer process.
The School of Mines boasts a solid research program. During the 2005 fiscal year, School
of Mines researchers and professors received 98 awards from federal and state agencies,
from corporations and from direct Congressional appropriations. Since 2001, the School
of Mines has received nearly more than $60 million in Congressional appropriations for
research and development, including $15.2 million in the 2005 Defense spending bill. In
the first month of the 2005 fiscal year, School of Mines researchers and professors
received more than $860,000 in awards, four times the amount received in July 2003.
The 2005 fiscal year highlights:
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 4 of 12
• $585,000 from the South Dakota 2010 Initiative to create the Center for
Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale, a new research center on campus.
• $400,000 from the National Science Foundation to create a Computer Science,
Engineering & Mathematics Scholarship Program.
• $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy to study the use of fiber reinforced
thermoplastic composites
• $160,000 from Carpenter Powder Products to continue the study of functionally
graded materials for manufacturing tools and dies and industrial processing
equipment
• $440,523 from the National Science Foundation for a program to bring rural
school teachers to campus to learn about research topics that can be taken back to
the classroom.
• $455,126 from the Department of Defense to study energetic nanocomposites for
the U.S. Army.
• $178,223 from the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural
Resources to conduct environmental studies of the Cheyenne River.
#30#
Take a Journey Through Space
The NASA South Dakota Space Grant Consortium and The Journey Museum are co-hosting
a day-long event, “South Dakota Space Day at the Pow Wow: Merging
Technology and Tradition,” Friday, Oct. 7, 2005.
Numerous exhibits on space and earth science will be available at the Civic Center from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more about how technology is revolutionizing how space and earth
are studied. Two NASA experts will speak from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Civic Center
and again from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Theatre at the Journey Museum. The
morning presentations will give students at the Pow Wow and interested members of the
public an opportunity to learn more about NASA and space research. The evening
presentations are also open to the public and will be geared toward more of an adult
audience.
Dr. Theodore Gull, a NASA astrophysicist with Goddard Space Flight Center and a
native of Edgemont, S.D., will present “Space Astronomy: Searching out New Worlds
within the Universe.” The talk will cover examples of astronomical discoveries made by
the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Infrared
Telescope.
Dr. Fritz Hasler, NASA Emeritus and adjunct professor at the University of Utah, will
present “Looking at Earth from Space: An Hour of Spectacular Visualization using the
NASA/NOAA Electronic Theatre.” Participants will fly in from outer space to see the
latest spectacular images from the 2004 Summer Olympics, last year’s tsunami, the
Florida hurricanes of 2004 and the Los Angeles/San Diego fires of 2003 from NASA,
NOAA and commercial satellite missions.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 5 of 12
A reception featuring both presenters will be held at 6 p.m. at The Journey Museum.
As the link between NASA and the citizens of South Dakota, the SD Space Grant
Consortium's mission is to instill the spirit of exploration and discovery in students,
educators, and in the general public, with a special focus on the fields of science,
mathematics, engineering and technology. The Journey Museum, an educational affiliate
of the Consortium, is the region’s education venue that serves as a forum to preserve and
explore the heritage of the cultures of the Black Hills region and the knowledge of its
natural environment so residents and visitors can understand the values of our past, enrich
our present, and meet the challenges of the future.
The event is free to the public. For more information on the daytime activities at the
Civic Center, you may visit the SD Space Grant Consortium website at
www.sdsmt.edu/space or call Tom Durkin at 605-394-1975. For more information on the
evening presentations at The Journey Museum, visit the museum’s web-site at
www.journeymuseum.org or call 605-394-6923.
#30#
M-Week Begins Sept. 11
The School of Mines M-Week Homecoming celebration begins Sunday, Sept. 11.
Activities begin with the Senior/Frosh Picnic at Dinosaur Hill where students will drape a
blanket that features a giant “M” over one of the cement creatures. The climax of the
week – the Homecoming football game – gets underway at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17,
against Mayville State University.
M-Week has a 90-year history at the School of Mines. Students, staff and faculty hold the
M-Week traditions close because the activities are the things everyone on campus has in
common. It’s a time for students to celebrate being at the university and to carry on
traditions started decades ago – and, perhaps, to start a few new ones.
These School of Mines M-Week events are open to the public:
Sunday, Sept. 11
12 p.m.: Senior/Frosh Picnic, Dinosaur Hill
Monday, Sept. 12
7 p.m.: Introduction of the Homecoming Candidates, Quad
Thursday, Sept. 15
7 p.m.: Homecoming Royalty Coronation, Surbeck Center Ballroom
Following Coronation: Homecoming Bonfire, parking lot between Surbeck
Center and the Library.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 6 of 12
Friday, Sept. 16
12 p.m.: M-Week picnic, city park at the foot of M-Hill.
Saturday, Sept. 17
11 a.m.: Homecoming Parade and tailgate, downtown Rapid City and O’Harra
Stadium
1 p.m.: Homecoming football game vs. Mayville State University, O’Harra
Stadium
#30#
M-Week Parade Scheduled For Sept. 17
Campus- and student- inspired floats will cruise through downtown Rapid City for the
School of Mines M-Week parade scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17.
The School of Mines invites the community to join in the M-Week celebrations as the
floats make their way from Third and Main to Seventh Street, where they will loop to
Saint Joseph and continue to campus.
The M-Week football game against Mayville State University will follow the parade. The
game begins at 1 p.m. at O’Harra Stadium.
#30#
School of Mines Crowns 2005 Homecoming King and Queen
Clark Wismer, an Electrical Engineering major from Britton, was elected Homecoming
King, and Jen Pazour, an Industrial Engineering major from Pukwana, was elected
Homecoming Queen during an M-Week ceremony held Thursday night at the School of
Mines.
The royalty, selected by students, presided over the M-Week parade and the
Homecoming football game Saturday, Sept. 17.
The other Homecoming candidates were:
King:
David Burnett, Industrial Engineering, Philip
Zac Doorenbos, Chemical Engineering, Owatonna, Minn.
Bob Hodgson, Industrial Engineering, Lemmon
Tim Lystad, Industrial Engineering, Stanley, N.D.
Queen:
Jessica Elsen, Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hecla, S.D.
Quinn Godecke, Interdisciplinary Sciences, Dillon, Mont.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 7 of 12
Cori Leis, Industrial Engineering, Rapid City
Brandy Pelton, Civil Engineering, Killdeer, N.D.
#30#
Campuses Community Prevention Coalition
Receives Grant Funding
The Campuses Community Prevention Coalition (CCPC) has been awarded a two-year,
$284,000 U.S. Department of Education grant to assist in the prevention of high-risk
drinking among college students. The CCPC is comprised of faculty, staff and students
from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Western Dakota Technical
Institute, National American University and members from the Pennington County
Sheriff, Rapid City Police departments, Highway patrol, Court Services, City Council,
MADD, state representatives, local bar owners and other interested parties.
Co-chairs of the CCPC, Pat Mahon, School of Mines Vice President for Student Affairs
and Dean of Students, and Linda Colhoff, Community Prevention Networker for
City/County Alcohol and Drug Programs state: “The Campuses Community Prevention
Coalition is concerned about the high risk behaviors of 18-24-year-olds. The goal is to
promote healthy choices by identifying and reducing high risk behaviors and to provide
positive alternatives.The committee members believe that despite the many different
perspectives, our community can come together and create a better place to live and
learn.”
Mary Jo Farrington has been appointed coordinator for the program. “The SDSM&T
alumni are very helpful to current students by providing support and motivation to stay
the course. We need everyone’s help in this all-out effort to reduce alcohol consumption
and other high risk behaviors,” Farrington said. She may be reached at (605) 394-2416.
Through the Higher Education Center grant, students from the three campuses will
benefit from the development and implementation of campus and community-based and
early intervention strategies to prevent high-risk drinking. Intended outcomes of the
project include an increased number, awareness and participation in alcohol-free options,
including collaborative intercampus activities; improved accuracy of student perceptions
of alcohol use behaviors among college students and decreased alcohol consumption and
negative consequences related to alcohol use; implementation of a referral program
through the Rapid City Police Department and creation of an early intervention program
for offenders; development of a campaign that will heighten the awareness of the impact
that high-risk drinking has on careers and result in a reduced number of students who
report driving under the influence or being arrested while under the influence; and
increased awareness of students’ alcohol-related problem behaviors by “bystanders”
(faculty, staff and peers who are in frequent contact with students) and improved ability
to intervene in those behaviors.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 8 of 12
To prepare for the bystander training, staff of the School of Mines, WDTI and NAU
recently participated in a regional two-day training in Sioux Falls. The training
highlighted Bystander Intervention Theory and Training for Student Affairs
Professionals. Training included an overview of the research and theory on bystander
behavior, guidelines for using the social norms approach to reveal individuals’ concerns
and desire to intervene, and training models on how to intervene in problematic situations
that can be used to teach students and staff.
The next meeting of the CCPC will be September 22 from 11:30-1:30 at National
American University.
#30#
August R&D Funding Near $1 Million at School of Mines
School of Mines researchers and professors received almost $1 million in research and
development funding during August 2005.
The School of Mines and Technology, an engineering and science university in Rapid
City, boasts a solid research program. So far in the 2006 fiscal year that began in July,
School of Mines researchers received more than $1.1 million in sponsored research and
development funding.
The School of Mines is home to several research institutions and centers, and plans are
underway to expand the number of graduate degrees and to enhance the technology-transfer
process.
The August award highlights:
• $554,867 from the National Science Foundation for the acquisition of a Field
Emission Scanning Electron Microscope.
• $269,857 from the National Science Foundation to acquire a group of equipment
that will strengthen regional biogeochemistry research and training.
• $150,982 from the National Science Foundation to create an online archive of
airborne storm penetration.
#30#
The Global AIDS Pandemic Forum to be Presented
A community forum entitled “The Global AIDS Pandemic—What We Need to Know
and What We Can Do” will be presented Sunday, Sept. 25 on the South Dakota School of
Mines and Technology campus.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 9 of 12
Dr. Don Messer, author of “Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence: Christian Churches and
the Global AIDS Crisis” and international expert on faith-based involvement, will be the
main presenter. The forum is intended to raise local consciousness about global AIDS, an
unparalleled health and humanitarian crisis.
Other panelists are Robert Moore, chief of staff to Rosebud Tribal President and the
brother of AIDS victim White Eagle, and Joan Goschke, hospice nurse and Facilitator for
Positive Approach. The free public forum is scheduled for 3-5 p.m. in the Bump Lounge
at Surbeck Center. Audience questions and discussion will be encouraged.
The Black Hills area group Bridges for Intercultural Understanding is organizing the
forum. The group's mission is to facilitate public dialogue on intercultural issues, both
global and local. Co-sponsors of the forum include the School of Mines, Rapid City
Regional Hospital's Cultural Diversity Committee, the Rapid City Journal, Oglala Lakota
College, Lakota Times, the Society for the Advancement of Native Interests Today and
the Rural Ethnic Institute.
The Sept. 25 forum is free and open to the public. For more information call Donna
Fisher at (605) 355-9532 or Tom Katus at (605) 718-0545.
#30#
Microsoft to Present on School of Mines Campus
Microsoft will be presenting on the School of Mines campus at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27
in CB204.
School of Mines alumni that work at the company will be speaking about what working
for Microsoft is really like. Currently, Microsoft employs 32 School of Mines graduates.
This event marks the first distributed meeting. There will be a Microsoft employee on
site, and also a panel at the Redmond, Wash. headquarters. This technology will be a test
run for possible future interviewing options.
As Microsoft hires more than just computer science graduates, this event is open to all
majors. This event is not open to the public, but the School of Mines invites the media to
attend.
#30#
Employers Recruit School of Mines Students During Career Fair
More than 77 companies from around the country will be on the South Dakota School of
Mines campus Tuesday, Sept. 27, to recruit School of Mines students for full-time
employment and for internships.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 10 of 12
The Career Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Surbeck
Center. The Career Fair is not open to the public, but the School of Mines invites the
media to attend.
Nationally, in recent years college students have found that companies are not hiring as
many new graduates, but School of Mines grads have done well in the search for work.
This year’s 77 employers that are scheduled to attend is a large increase over last year’s
55.
“The trend in the past few years is companies are scaling back the number of schools that
they are recruiting at,” Darrell Sawyer, director of Career Planning and Placement at the
School of Mines, said. “Even though we’re a small school and far away, companies
spend a fair amount of resources and time to come here. That speaks for itself.”
The School of Mines offers 16 undergraduate degrees in engineering, science and
interdisciplinary studies. All undergraduate programs emphasize advanced science and
math, and all combine classroom instruction with hands-on laboratory work. In addition,
more than 75 percent of graduates have relevant work experience through co-ops and
internships. That increases their marketability to employers.
“That combination sets up our graduates for success,” Sawyer said. “They leave the
School of Mines with the theoretical and practical knowledge and the experience they
need.”
#30#
School of Mines Student Receives Top Honors
Elizabeth Berg, a senior Civil Engineering student at the School of Mines and
Technology in Rapid City was recognized for her technical paper, “Analytical Parametric
Study on Horizontal Loading Capacity of Suction Piles.”
This paper was one of 24 selected internationally to be presented at the 2005 Marine
Technology Society/IEEE OCEANS 2005 Conference in Washington, D.C. After judging
by the Office of Naval Research, Berg’s paper received third place.
Berg’s paper was based on work done with Dr. Sangchul Bang, a professor in the Civil
and Environmental Department, during the summer 2005 Research Experience for
Undergraduates.
“To receive such an award at an international conference as an undergraduate student is
an extraordinary accomplishment,” Dr. Bang said.
#30#
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 11 of 12
Golden West Establishes Scholarship
The Golden West Scholarship fund has been established by Golden West with a gift to
the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Foundation.
Golden West intends to contribute $1,000 each academic year. The scholarship will be
awarded to freshman, sophomore, junior or senior student majoring in computer science.
Selection will be made by the School of Mines Scholarship Committee based on need and
academic standing and upon recommendation by the Department of Mathematics and
Computer Science chair.
In 1916, Golden West was the first company to stretch telephone lines across the plains
of western South Dakota. Today, Golden West services more than 38,000 telephone
customers and 3,000 cable television viewers.
#30#
School of Mines Professor Recognized
Dr. Carter Kerk, an associate professor in the Department of Industrial Engineeing at the
School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, was recognized by the American Society
of Safety Engineers with the Distinguished Service Award.
In addition to this award, the ASEE Foundation has created the Carter J. Kerk
Distinguished Service Award Scholarship. This scholarship provides an annual award of
$2,000 to one student pursuing an undergraduate degree in occupational safety and health
or a closely related field.
“We are proud of Dr. Kerk’s service commitment at both the campus and the national
level,” Dr. Stuart Kellogg, Department of Industrial Engineering program director, said.
“We congratulate him on this national award.”
#30#
School of Mines Researchers Serving as Computational
Mechanics Lab Co-Directors
Dr. Karim Muci, associate professor, and Dr. Michael Langerman, professor, Department
of Mechanical Engineering, have been appointed as co-directors of the School of Mines
Computational Mechanics Laboratory (CML).
The CML, which reports to the office of the School of Mines Vice President for
Research, was established in 2004 to provide the basic infrastructure (facilities, hardware
and software) required to promote, support and perform academic and research activities
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 12 of 12
in the field of computational mechanics. It will be located in a new addition to the Civil-
Mechanical Engineering building that is expected to be completed by the end of
November 2005.
Computational mechanics is concerned with the simulation of advanced engineering
problems. It brings together highly sophisticated methods of structural and applied
mechanics, computer science and applied mathematics, and encompasses numerical
methods for application to various mechanical engineering problems. Computational
mechanics is a well-established and growing discipline which is increasingly exploited by
engineers and scientists to optimize existing products and manufacturing processes and to
promote the development of new technologies.
The School of Mines CML brings together a team of researchers with expertise in
different areas to provide a multidisciplinary approach to the solution of complex
problems using numerical methods. At the present time, the following faculty members
are also participating in the CML: Dr. Lidvin Kjerengtroen, Dr. Gregory Buck, Dr.
Umesh Korde and Dr. Glen Hansen. Current projects include the numerical simulation of
shallow buried explosive blasts in dry sand, the laser deposition process, the friction stir
spot welding process and dimensionally stable composite materials.
According to Dr. Gautam Pillay, Vice President for Research, the CML is a critical
component of the School of Mines research capability and will provide important support
to other labs and centers on campus. The primary source of funding for the CML is the
U.S. Department of Defense.
#30#

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Transcript

School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 1 of 12
School of Mines News Report
October 2005 BOR Meeting
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Halter and Heinrichsen win TEA award..................................................................2
Welcome Week Introduces Students to A New Year..............................................2
School of Mines FY 2005 R&D Funding Nearly $13 Million ................................3
Take A Journey Through Space...............................................................................4
M-Week Begins Sept. 11 .........................................................................................5
M-Week Parade Scheduled For Sept. 17 .................................................................6
School of Mines Crowns 2005 Homecoming King and Queen...............................6
Campuses Community Prevention Coalition receives grant funding ......................7
August R&D Funding Near $1 Million ...................................................................8
The Global AIDS Pandemic Forum to be Presented ...............................................8
Microsoft to Present on School of Mines Campus ..................................................9
Employers Recruit School of Mines Students During Career Fair..........................9
School of Mines Student Receives Top Honors ....................................................10
Golden West Establishes Scholarship....................................................................11
School of Mines Professor Recognized .................................................................12
School of Mines Researchers Serving as
Computational Mechanics Lab Co-Directors ........................................................11
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 2 of 12
Halter and Henrichsen Win TEA Award
The Career Service Council at the School of Mines has given its Traditions of Excellence
Award for June and July 2005, respectively, to Karen Henrichsen and Micheal Halter.
Henrichsen has been employed at the School of Mines since 1981, and Halter since 2001.
Both are buyers for the bookstore.
The Career Service Council gives the award to someone who has performed their
assigned duties at a high level or above and beyond expectations, who has taken the
initiative to promote the concept of successful job completion and has promoted a
positive working relationship with students, faculty and staff.
Henrichsen and Halter were nominated jointly and were selected for this award based on
statements included in their nomination, “A true dynamic duo – how can you leave the
Bookstore frowning after dealing with these two? Always smiling, always helpful,
always able to either find what you need or get it for you somehow!” Also cited were
their supportive and encouraging efforts for the benefit of students, faculty, and
employees. “Great to deal with – a real bright spot in your day.”
#30#
Welcome Week Introduces Students To A New Year
Beginning a college career is a major change for high school graduates who must adjust
to new friends, new classes and new surroundings. Those same challenges face transfer
and non-traditional students.
The School of Mines uses the annual Welcome Week to help students transition
successfully to life at the university. During the week, students meet each other, visit
fraternity and sorority houses, memorize the school song and learn secrets to college
success.
Tech’s Welcome Week begins Sunday, Aug. 28, and continues through Friday, Sept. 2.
The highlights include:
Sunday, Aug. 28
6:30 p.m.: Students compete for prizes donated by local businesses during Prize-A-Palooza,
an ice-breaker activity.
8 p.m.: During “Happy Hour,” speaker Bernie McGrenahan draws on personal
experience to teach students about alcohol abuse in the Surbeck Center Ballroom.
Monday, Aug. 29
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Students get to know Rapid City by visiting parks, tourist attractions
and businesses.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 3 of 12
6:30 p.m.: “The Ultimate Road Trip” is an opportunity for students to learn about the
importance of getting involved on campus and ways to do so.
8:00 p.m.: Travelin’ Max uses music, conga lines and giveaways to teach School of
Mines traditions, including the school song, to incoming freshmen. Also during the show,
freshmen receive their green beanies. Tradition holds that the frosh, as they are known,
will wear the beanies until halftime of the M-Week football game September 25.
Tuesday, Aug. 30
5 p.m.: President’s Picnic, Quad
7 p.m.: New and returning students learn how to handle common college life situations
during Student Life Skits, performed by staff, faculty and students in the King Center.
Friday, Sept. 2
8 p.m.: Students attend the Welcome Back Dance, the first big party of the year held in
the Quad.
#30#
South Dakota Tech FY 2005 R&D Funding
Nearly $13 Million
School of Mines researchers and professors received more than $12.7 million in research
and development funding during the 2005 fiscal year that ended in June.
The awards are funding research in departments across campus. Some research is basic,
and is designed to create new knowledge or to add to the literature on a given topic. Other
research is applied, and is meant to produce real-world products. South Dakota Tech has
placed an emphasis on applied research to benefit the state, region and nation.
The School of Mines, an engineering and science university in Rapid City, is home to
several research institutions and centers, and plans are underway to expand the number of
graduate degrees and to enhance the technology-transfer process.
The School of Mines boasts a solid research program. During the 2005 fiscal year, School
of Mines researchers and professors received 98 awards from federal and state agencies,
from corporations and from direct Congressional appropriations. Since 2001, the School
of Mines has received nearly more than $60 million in Congressional appropriations for
research and development, including $15.2 million in the 2005 Defense spending bill. In
the first month of the 2005 fiscal year, School of Mines researchers and professors
received more than $860,000 in awards, four times the amount received in July 2003.
The 2005 fiscal year highlights:
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 4 of 12
• $585,000 from the South Dakota 2010 Initiative to create the Center for
Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale, a new research center on campus.
• $400,000 from the National Science Foundation to create a Computer Science,
Engineering & Mathematics Scholarship Program.
• $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy to study the use of fiber reinforced
thermoplastic composites
• $160,000 from Carpenter Powder Products to continue the study of functionally
graded materials for manufacturing tools and dies and industrial processing
equipment
• $440,523 from the National Science Foundation for a program to bring rural
school teachers to campus to learn about research topics that can be taken back to
the classroom.
• $455,126 from the Department of Defense to study energetic nanocomposites for
the U.S. Army.
• $178,223 from the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural
Resources to conduct environmental studies of the Cheyenne River.
#30#
Take a Journey Through Space
The NASA South Dakota Space Grant Consortium and The Journey Museum are co-hosting
a day-long event, “South Dakota Space Day at the Pow Wow: Merging
Technology and Tradition,” Friday, Oct. 7, 2005.
Numerous exhibits on space and earth science will be available at the Civic Center from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more about how technology is revolutionizing how space and earth
are studied. Two NASA experts will speak from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Civic Center
and again from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Theatre at the Journey Museum. The
morning presentations will give students at the Pow Wow and interested members of the
public an opportunity to learn more about NASA and space research. The evening
presentations are also open to the public and will be geared toward more of an adult
audience.
Dr. Theodore Gull, a NASA astrophysicist with Goddard Space Flight Center and a
native of Edgemont, S.D., will present “Space Astronomy: Searching out New Worlds
within the Universe.” The talk will cover examples of astronomical discoveries made by
the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Infrared
Telescope.
Dr. Fritz Hasler, NASA Emeritus and adjunct professor at the University of Utah, will
present “Looking at Earth from Space: An Hour of Spectacular Visualization using the
NASA/NOAA Electronic Theatre.” Participants will fly in from outer space to see the
latest spectacular images from the 2004 Summer Olympics, last year’s tsunami, the
Florida hurricanes of 2004 and the Los Angeles/San Diego fires of 2003 from NASA,
NOAA and commercial satellite missions.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 5 of 12
A reception featuring both presenters will be held at 6 p.m. at The Journey Museum.
As the link between NASA and the citizens of South Dakota, the SD Space Grant
Consortium's mission is to instill the spirit of exploration and discovery in students,
educators, and in the general public, with a special focus on the fields of science,
mathematics, engineering and technology. The Journey Museum, an educational affiliate
of the Consortium, is the region’s education venue that serves as a forum to preserve and
explore the heritage of the cultures of the Black Hills region and the knowledge of its
natural environment so residents and visitors can understand the values of our past, enrich
our present, and meet the challenges of the future.
The event is free to the public. For more information on the daytime activities at the
Civic Center, you may visit the SD Space Grant Consortium website at
www.sdsmt.edu/space or call Tom Durkin at 605-394-1975. For more information on the
evening presentations at The Journey Museum, visit the museum’s web-site at
www.journeymuseum.org or call 605-394-6923.
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M-Week Begins Sept. 11
The School of Mines M-Week Homecoming celebration begins Sunday, Sept. 11.
Activities begin with the Senior/Frosh Picnic at Dinosaur Hill where students will drape a
blanket that features a giant “M” over one of the cement creatures. The climax of the
week – the Homecoming football game – gets underway at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17,
against Mayville State University.
M-Week has a 90-year history at the School of Mines. Students, staff and faculty hold the
M-Week traditions close because the activities are the things everyone on campus has in
common. It’s a time for students to celebrate being at the university and to carry on
traditions started decades ago – and, perhaps, to start a few new ones.
These School of Mines M-Week events are open to the public:
Sunday, Sept. 11
12 p.m.: Senior/Frosh Picnic, Dinosaur Hill
Monday, Sept. 12
7 p.m.: Introduction of the Homecoming Candidates, Quad
Thursday, Sept. 15
7 p.m.: Homecoming Royalty Coronation, Surbeck Center Ballroom
Following Coronation: Homecoming Bonfire, parking lot between Surbeck
Center and the Library.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 6 of 12
Friday, Sept. 16
12 p.m.: M-Week picnic, city park at the foot of M-Hill.
Saturday, Sept. 17
11 a.m.: Homecoming Parade and tailgate, downtown Rapid City and O’Harra
Stadium
1 p.m.: Homecoming football game vs. Mayville State University, O’Harra
Stadium
#30#
M-Week Parade Scheduled For Sept. 17
Campus- and student- inspired floats will cruise through downtown Rapid City for the
School of Mines M-Week parade scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17.
The School of Mines invites the community to join in the M-Week celebrations as the
floats make their way from Third and Main to Seventh Street, where they will loop to
Saint Joseph and continue to campus.
The M-Week football game against Mayville State University will follow the parade. The
game begins at 1 p.m. at O’Harra Stadium.
#30#
School of Mines Crowns 2005 Homecoming King and Queen
Clark Wismer, an Electrical Engineering major from Britton, was elected Homecoming
King, and Jen Pazour, an Industrial Engineering major from Pukwana, was elected
Homecoming Queen during an M-Week ceremony held Thursday night at the School of
Mines.
The royalty, selected by students, presided over the M-Week parade and the
Homecoming football game Saturday, Sept. 17.
The other Homecoming candidates were:
King:
David Burnett, Industrial Engineering, Philip
Zac Doorenbos, Chemical Engineering, Owatonna, Minn.
Bob Hodgson, Industrial Engineering, Lemmon
Tim Lystad, Industrial Engineering, Stanley, N.D.
Queen:
Jessica Elsen, Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hecla, S.D.
Quinn Godecke, Interdisciplinary Sciences, Dillon, Mont.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 7 of 12
Cori Leis, Industrial Engineering, Rapid City
Brandy Pelton, Civil Engineering, Killdeer, N.D.
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Campuses Community Prevention Coalition
Receives Grant Funding
The Campuses Community Prevention Coalition (CCPC) has been awarded a two-year,
$284,000 U.S. Department of Education grant to assist in the prevention of high-risk
drinking among college students. The CCPC is comprised of faculty, staff and students
from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Western Dakota Technical
Institute, National American University and members from the Pennington County
Sheriff, Rapid City Police departments, Highway patrol, Court Services, City Council,
MADD, state representatives, local bar owners and other interested parties.
Co-chairs of the CCPC, Pat Mahon, School of Mines Vice President for Student Affairs
and Dean of Students, and Linda Colhoff, Community Prevention Networker for
City/County Alcohol and Drug Programs state: “The Campuses Community Prevention
Coalition is concerned about the high risk behaviors of 18-24-year-olds. The goal is to
promote healthy choices by identifying and reducing high risk behaviors and to provide
positive alternatives.The committee members believe that despite the many different
perspectives, our community can come together and create a better place to live and
learn.”
Mary Jo Farrington has been appointed coordinator for the program. “The SDSM&T
alumni are very helpful to current students by providing support and motivation to stay
the course. We need everyone’s help in this all-out effort to reduce alcohol consumption
and other high risk behaviors,” Farrington said. She may be reached at (605) 394-2416.
Through the Higher Education Center grant, students from the three campuses will
benefit from the development and implementation of campus and community-based and
early intervention strategies to prevent high-risk drinking. Intended outcomes of the
project include an increased number, awareness and participation in alcohol-free options,
including collaborative intercampus activities; improved accuracy of student perceptions
of alcohol use behaviors among college students and decreased alcohol consumption and
negative consequences related to alcohol use; implementation of a referral program
through the Rapid City Police Department and creation of an early intervention program
for offenders; development of a campaign that will heighten the awareness of the impact
that high-risk drinking has on careers and result in a reduced number of students who
report driving under the influence or being arrested while under the influence; and
increased awareness of students’ alcohol-related problem behaviors by “bystanders”
(faculty, staff and peers who are in frequent contact with students) and improved ability
to intervene in those behaviors.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 8 of 12
To prepare for the bystander training, staff of the School of Mines, WDTI and NAU
recently participated in a regional two-day training in Sioux Falls. The training
highlighted Bystander Intervention Theory and Training for Student Affairs
Professionals. Training included an overview of the research and theory on bystander
behavior, guidelines for using the social norms approach to reveal individuals’ concerns
and desire to intervene, and training models on how to intervene in problematic situations
that can be used to teach students and staff.
The next meeting of the CCPC will be September 22 from 11:30-1:30 at National
American University.
#30#
August R&D Funding Near $1 Million at School of Mines
School of Mines researchers and professors received almost $1 million in research and
development funding during August 2005.
The School of Mines and Technology, an engineering and science university in Rapid
City, boasts a solid research program. So far in the 2006 fiscal year that began in July,
School of Mines researchers received more than $1.1 million in sponsored research and
development funding.
The School of Mines is home to several research institutions and centers, and plans are
underway to expand the number of graduate degrees and to enhance the technology-transfer
process.
The August award highlights:
• $554,867 from the National Science Foundation for the acquisition of a Field
Emission Scanning Electron Microscope.
• $269,857 from the National Science Foundation to acquire a group of equipment
that will strengthen regional biogeochemistry research and training.
• $150,982 from the National Science Foundation to create an online archive of
airborne storm penetration.
#30#
The Global AIDS Pandemic Forum to be Presented
A community forum entitled “The Global AIDS Pandemic—What We Need to Know
and What We Can Do” will be presented Sunday, Sept. 25 on the South Dakota School of
Mines and Technology campus.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 9 of 12
Dr. Don Messer, author of “Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence: Christian Churches and
the Global AIDS Crisis” and international expert on faith-based involvement, will be the
main presenter. The forum is intended to raise local consciousness about global AIDS, an
unparalleled health and humanitarian crisis.
Other panelists are Robert Moore, chief of staff to Rosebud Tribal President and the
brother of AIDS victim White Eagle, and Joan Goschke, hospice nurse and Facilitator for
Positive Approach. The free public forum is scheduled for 3-5 p.m. in the Bump Lounge
at Surbeck Center. Audience questions and discussion will be encouraged.
The Black Hills area group Bridges for Intercultural Understanding is organizing the
forum. The group's mission is to facilitate public dialogue on intercultural issues, both
global and local. Co-sponsors of the forum include the School of Mines, Rapid City
Regional Hospital's Cultural Diversity Committee, the Rapid City Journal, Oglala Lakota
College, Lakota Times, the Society for the Advancement of Native Interests Today and
the Rural Ethnic Institute.
The Sept. 25 forum is free and open to the public. For more information call Donna
Fisher at (605) 355-9532 or Tom Katus at (605) 718-0545.
#30#
Microsoft to Present on School of Mines Campus
Microsoft will be presenting on the School of Mines campus at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27
in CB204.
School of Mines alumni that work at the company will be speaking about what working
for Microsoft is really like. Currently, Microsoft employs 32 School of Mines graduates.
This event marks the first distributed meeting. There will be a Microsoft employee on
site, and also a panel at the Redmond, Wash. headquarters. This technology will be a test
run for possible future interviewing options.
As Microsoft hires more than just computer science graduates, this event is open to all
majors. This event is not open to the public, but the School of Mines invites the media to
attend.
#30#
Employers Recruit School of Mines Students During Career Fair
More than 77 companies from around the country will be on the South Dakota School of
Mines campus Tuesday, Sept. 27, to recruit School of Mines students for full-time
employment and for internships.
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 10 of 12
The Career Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Surbeck
Center. The Career Fair is not open to the public, but the School of Mines invites the
media to attend.
Nationally, in recent years college students have found that companies are not hiring as
many new graduates, but School of Mines grads have done well in the search for work.
This year’s 77 employers that are scheduled to attend is a large increase over last year’s
55.
“The trend in the past few years is companies are scaling back the number of schools that
they are recruiting at,” Darrell Sawyer, director of Career Planning and Placement at the
School of Mines, said. “Even though we’re a small school and far away, companies
spend a fair amount of resources and time to come here. That speaks for itself.”
The School of Mines offers 16 undergraduate degrees in engineering, science and
interdisciplinary studies. All undergraduate programs emphasize advanced science and
math, and all combine classroom instruction with hands-on laboratory work. In addition,
more than 75 percent of graduates have relevant work experience through co-ops and
internships. That increases their marketability to employers.
“That combination sets up our graduates for success,” Sawyer said. “They leave the
School of Mines with the theoretical and practical knowledge and the experience they
need.”
#30#
School of Mines Student Receives Top Honors
Elizabeth Berg, a senior Civil Engineering student at the School of Mines and
Technology in Rapid City was recognized for her technical paper, “Analytical Parametric
Study on Horizontal Loading Capacity of Suction Piles.”
This paper was one of 24 selected internationally to be presented at the 2005 Marine
Technology Society/IEEE OCEANS 2005 Conference in Washington, D.C. After judging
by the Office of Naval Research, Berg’s paper received third place.
Berg’s paper was based on work done with Dr. Sangchul Bang, a professor in the Civil
and Environmental Department, during the summer 2005 Research Experience for
Undergraduates.
“To receive such an award at an international conference as an undergraduate student is
an extraordinary accomplishment,” Dr. Bang said.
#30#
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 11 of 12
Golden West Establishes Scholarship
The Golden West Scholarship fund has been established by Golden West with a gift to
the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Foundation.
Golden West intends to contribute $1,000 each academic year. The scholarship will be
awarded to freshman, sophomore, junior or senior student majoring in computer science.
Selection will be made by the School of Mines Scholarship Committee based on need and
academic standing and upon recommendation by the Department of Mathematics and
Computer Science chair.
In 1916, Golden West was the first company to stretch telephone lines across the plains
of western South Dakota. Today, Golden West services more than 38,000 telephone
customers and 3,000 cable television viewers.
#30#
School of Mines Professor Recognized
Dr. Carter Kerk, an associate professor in the Department of Industrial Engineeing at the
School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, was recognized by the American Society
of Safety Engineers with the Distinguished Service Award.
In addition to this award, the ASEE Foundation has created the Carter J. Kerk
Distinguished Service Award Scholarship. This scholarship provides an annual award of
$2,000 to one student pursuing an undergraduate degree in occupational safety and health
or a closely related field.
“We are proud of Dr. Kerk’s service commitment at both the campus and the national
level,” Dr. Stuart Kellogg, Department of Industrial Engineering program director, said.
“We congratulate him on this national award.”
#30#
School of Mines Researchers Serving as Computational
Mechanics Lab Co-Directors
Dr. Karim Muci, associate professor, and Dr. Michael Langerman, professor, Department
of Mechanical Engineering, have been appointed as co-directors of the School of Mines
Computational Mechanics Laboratory (CML).
The CML, which reports to the office of the School of Mines Vice President for
Research, was established in 2004 to provide the basic infrastructure (facilities, hardware
and software) required to promote, support and perform academic and research activities
School of Mines News Report for October 2005 BOR Meeting 12 of 12
in the field of computational mechanics. It will be located in a new addition to the Civil-
Mechanical Engineering building that is expected to be completed by the end of
November 2005.
Computational mechanics is concerned with the simulation of advanced engineering
problems. It brings together highly sophisticated methods of structural and applied
mechanics, computer science and applied mathematics, and encompasses numerical
methods for application to various mechanical engineering problems. Computational
mechanics is a well-established and growing discipline which is increasingly exploited by
engineers and scientists to optimize existing products and manufacturing processes and to
promote the development of new technologies.
The School of Mines CML brings together a team of researchers with expertise in
different areas to provide a multidisciplinary approach to the solution of complex
problems using numerical methods. At the present time, the following faculty members
are also participating in the CML: Dr. Lidvin Kjerengtroen, Dr. Gregory Buck, Dr.
Umesh Korde and Dr. Glen Hansen. Current projects include the numerical simulation of
shallow buried explosive blasts in dry sand, the laser deposition process, the friction stir
spot welding process and dimensionally stable composite materials.
According to Dr. Gautam Pillay, Vice President for Research, the CML is a critical
component of the School of Mines research capability and will provide important support
to other labs and centers on campus. The primary source of funding for the CML is the
U.S. Department of Defense.
#30#